14 Things Young Leaders Can Learn From Experienced Leaders

 

14 Things Young Leaders Can Learn From Experienced Leaders

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Brian Dodd on August 22, 2015 in Sports Leadership

There are countless benefits of multi-generational leadership.  One is younger leaders bring fresh ideas and stretch the thinking of us who by default often roll out tried-and-true ideas which are having diminishing results.  But younger leaders can also learn much from the experience of seasoned leaders.
Recently, Monday Morning Quarterback writer Andy Benoit profiled veteran 12-year quarterback Phillip Rivers of the San Diego Chargers.  You can read his full article by clicking here.  In addition to having a high level of personal character (see video above), Rivers has become a master of the nuances of his position.
As I read Benoit’s article, I gleaned 14 Things Young Leaders Can Learn From Experienced Leaders:

1. Young Leaders Can Learn How To Produce Great Results With Limited Resources – Rivers is not as fast as young athletic quarterbacks but he knows how to maximize the inches of ground located in the pocket.
2. Young Leaders Can Learn Accuracy – Do the right things the right way.  The most important passing skill quarterbacks must have is accuracy, which Rivers is.
3. Young Leaders Can Learn How To Handle Pressure – Rivers has learned how to minimize the pressure coming from opponent’s pass rush.
4. Young Leaders Can Learn How To Make Others Look Better – Rivers’s pocket presence camouflages his blockers’ mistakes.
5. Young Leaders Can Learn The Importance Of Results – Rivers focuses is always the same: generating positive yardage.
6. Young Leaders Can Learn Not To Waste Time – Rivers wastes no motion.  His throwing motion is extremely compact.
7. Young Leaders Can Learn How To Handle Conflict – The defense wants to hurt the other team’s quarterback.  Therefore, the quarterback position requires Rivers to make plays with bodies constantly flying all around him.
8. Young Leaders Can Learn HOW To Look For Opportunity – Because he can make difficult plays in conflict, it affords Rivers more possibilities to help the team.
9. Young Leaders Can Learn WHERE To Look For Opportunity – Not only should leaders constantly be looking for opportunity, they must know WHERE to look for opportunity.  This is a nuance only experienced leaders can bring.  Rivers knows his opportunity exists within the pocket, not running around outside the pocket.
10. Young Leaders Can Learn What To Eliminate – What separates good quarterbacks from great quarterbacks is what happens just before the snap of the football.  Great quarterbacks identify what is NOT available and does not pursue those options.  Rivers is highly skilled in all aspects of the pre-snap phase.
11. Young Leaders Can Learn How To Build A Great Team Around Them – Chargers general manager Tom Telesco drafted potential superstar running back Melvin Gordon in the first-round pick of the 2015 draft.  He also re-signed 6-foot-9, 330-pound guard King Dunlap along with the acquisition of former Denver Broncos free agent guard Orlando Franklin.  All of these additions were done with helping Rivers be even more successful in mind.
12. Young Leaders Can Learn To Make Adjustments – No plan or strategy is perfect.  Adjustments must be made.  Rivers can brilliantly recognize safety rotations once the play begins and make the proper adjustments.
13. Young Leaders Can Learn People Skills – Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates have unparalleled chemistry resulting in 10,014 career receiving yards and 99 touchdowns between the two, including 12 last year.
14. Young Leaders Can Learn To Always Be Available – You cannot be a successful leader if others cannot count on you to be where you are supposed to be when you need to be there.  Often the most important ability leaders have is availability.  Rivers has the 4th longest consecutive games started streak in NFL history.

What else can young leaders learn from experienced leaders?